Johnny Unitas’ son rooting for Drew Brees

Published Wednesday October 3, 2012 at 6:00 am

With Drew Brees in position to break the record of Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas for consecutive games with a touchdown pass, Unitas’ son has sent words of encouragement to the Saints quarterback.

With Drew Brees in position to break the record of Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas for consecutive games with a touchdown pass, Unitas’ son has sent words of encouragement to the Saints quarterback. A letter from Joe Unitas, which the Saints posted on a team website, congratulates Brees for tying the record of 47 straight games last weekend in Green Bay. Joe Unitas says he’s a big fan of Brees and wishes him the best on Sunday night against San Diego. Joe Unitas says he knows his father, who set the record between 1956 and 1960, would want Brees to break it. Unitas calls Brees “a role model for today’s youth, a family man, and a humanitarian who cares for his community,” adding that his father held those ideals above records. He died in 2002.

Receiver Jabar Gaffney has signed with the Miami Dolphins. Gaffney, 31, had the best season of his career last year with Washington, then signed with the New England Patriots and was released at the end of training camp. He tried out a month ago with the Dolphins, who have been plagued by poor depth at the receiver spot. Gaffney, who is in his 11th season, had 68 catches for 947 yards and five scores last year. He scored 27 touchdowns in two years at the University of Florida.

A former Penn State graduate assistant who said he saw former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky showering with a boy in 2001 and testified against him has sued the university for what he says is defamation and misrepresentation. Mike McQueary’s whistle-blower complaint was filed yesterday. It seeks millions of dollars in damages. It claims his treatment by the university since Sandusky was arrested on child molestation charges in November has caused him distress and embarrassment. Penn State spokesman Dave La Torre has declined to comment.

The financial losses are starting to pile up as a result of the NHL lockout. And yesterday, the league made that public. In speaking to reporters after talks finished up for the day between the NHL and the NHLPA, deputy commissioner Bill Daly estimated that the league has lost $100 million in revenues from the canceled preseason. “Today,” he said, “was not overly encouraging.” And though they can pick up at any time, for the moment, there are no further talks scheduled. That only further increases speculation that regular-season games could be lost, with an announcement sometime this week. The season was slated to begin Oct. 11. “We are closer by definition (to canceling regular-season games),” Daly said. “We are focused on minimizing the damage.”

Another man has come forward to accuse a now-dead Boston Red Sox clubhouse manager of sexually abusing him. A lawyer for former Kansas City Athletics and Royals clubhouse attendant Gerald Armstrong said Donald Fitzpatrick molested Armstrong in the late 1960s, beginning when Armstrong was 12. The lawyer said Fitzpatrick abused Armstrong more than 20 times combined when the Red Sox traveled to play in Kansas City in 1967 and 1969. The Associated Press doesn’t normally release the names of alleged abuse victims, but Armstrong has allowed his name to be published. Attorney Mitchell Garabedian is seeking a total of $100 million from the Red Sox for his 20 clients who claim Fitzpatrick abused them.

Adam Greenberg struck out on three pitches last night when he batted for the first time in seven years after the Miami Marlins gave him a second chance. Greenberg signed a one-day contract before the game and stepped to the plate as a pinch-hitter leading off the sixth inning against New York Mets 20-game winner R.A. Dickey. After Greenberg received a standing ovation from the modest crowd and his teammates, Dickey threw him three consecutive knuckleballs. Greenberg took the first for a strike, then swung at the next two and missed. The game was Greenberg’s first since his major league debut in 2005, when he was hit in the back of the head by the first pitch he saw — a 92 mph fastball that derailed his career.

Major League Baseball has agreed with Fox and Turner Sports on eight-year contracts that will run through 2021 and keep the World Series on Fox. Fox also will retain rights to the All-Star Game and a league championship series every year, and add coverage of two division series starting in 2014. TBS will retain the rights to air one league championship series, two division series and one wild-card game.